MCTX Judge Keough sent Abbott a letter 'urging him to consider taking action to ensure' Texas Right to Try Act is followed in regard to Ivermectin

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Montgomery County Judge Mark J Keough posted the following to his Facebook page today:

'Today I sent Governor Abbott a letter urging him to consider taking action to ensure the Texas Right to Try Act was being followed when patients seek potentially lifesaving treatments that are considered investigational while not FDA approved. The Texas Right to Try Act was passed into law in 2015 and I was a proud co-author of this bill when I served in the Legislature. Doctors hands should not be tied when their patients or family members are seeking treatment in terminal cases of COVID-19 and the Texas Right to Try Act protects those rights.'

The letter reads:

Dear Governor Abbott,

On behalf of the citizens of Montgomery County, thank you your innovative and forward-thinking program to set up regional monoclonal antibody infusion centers throughout Texas. Montgomery County is proud to have collaborated with the State of Texas to host one of these infusion treatment centers. I am proud to report that as of today’s date, Montgomery County infusion center has been open for 23 days and we have successfully treated 1,579 patients.

That being said, a new challenge has arisen. I have heard from countless citizens that larger hospital systems, physicians and some pharmacies are refusing to prescribe or dispense therapeutics like Ivermectin. As you know, this well-established pharmaceutical is a low-risk, inexpensive, and widely available prescription. While we both agree, the off-label use of Ivermectin designed for treatment of animals is unsafe for human consumption; the widely prescribed human version of Ivermectin is otherwise innocuous and may provide potentially lifesaving treatment of COVID-19.

As you recall in 2015, you signed into law House Bill 21 which created the “right to try” law in Texas. I was honored to serve the citizens of Montgomery County in the Texas Legislature during that session and was a proud co-author of House Bill 21. Under the Right to Try Act, a patient has a right to seek potentially lifesaving therapeutics when facing a potentially life-threatening case of COVID-19, especially if hospitalized for the disease.

I understand the current difficult political climate this issue poses. I am writing to encourage you to take action to protect citizens’ right to try, and let you know that I stand ready to assist you in that effort in any way that I can.

Best regards,
Mark J Keough,
County Judge
Montgomery County, Texas